Monday, July 14, 2008

Dumb Rules Cost Best Hitter In Contest The Title

So Josh Hamilton hits 35 home runs, way more than anyone else. If you're gonna have a home run derby, give it to the person who hits the most home runs. But instead, Morneau wins because he won the final round, 5-3.

Classic Joe Morgan moment: With one out left, the "gold ball" is supposed to be thrown. Hamilton was down to his last out, and his old guy pitcher threw a white ball by mistake. Hamilton lets it go, and then clearly (you could hear him say it) tells the guy to throw the gold ball. Morgan thinks he's giving us some baseball insight by then telling us that Josh just asked for the pitcher to throw slower. Or something. Something that totally wasn't what he said.

And now they hand the big check to Morneau, who, along with everyone else, knows he's not the star of the show. Horribly embarrassing. And then the guy from the charity calls him "Jason." Ouch.

Also, I give the overall coverage a D. TV networks always feel they have to do so much, when really all you have to do is point and shoot. It's funny, missin' stuff with twenty different cameras. Impressive in a way. And when Hamilton hit the back wall, Berman had no idea where it went. For a long time. He thought it went out of the stadium. Which is understandable at first, but after ten seconds of dead air, you really start to wonder why A. someone hasn't whispered in his earpiece what happened or B. he hasn't seen a replay yet.

But hey, it's just the Home Run Derby. I got lots of the crossword done AND filmed a thing for Kim's soap site while it was going on.

Expect many players in tonight's All Star game to be miked. That's what Fox has requested of them. I think it's a good idea, although it is up to each individual player to decide for himself. Enjoy, Jere!

Jere - I completely agree with your comment on the TV coverage. I turned it off when Berman spent like 45 minutes talking to Reggie Jackson. During the entire conversation, batters were going through the second round and not a single acknowledgement of what was happening on the field. Oh, and not a single question about his comments to the Jewish art dealer. C'mon ESPN, give me a break.